Light In The Darkness
by Leontine Welch
Summary: Sora's thrown out by his father. Left on the streets, he stumbles upon Hayner and his group of other homeless children. And when a prank on the Mayor's daughter gets him face to face with her, maybe it won't be so bad after all. SoraKairi, RikuOC.
1. H O M E L E S S

_**The Light In The Dark**_

**Summary: Sora and his sister are thrown out of their house. Alone to fend for themselves, they encounter the street-smart homeless gang of new friends, called the Dusties. The Dusties are a group that fend on the streets and work odd jobs so as to not starve. When Sora encounters Kairi, the rich and beautiful daughter of the mayor of Destiny Islands, he might find the light in his dark life. And when his sister finds Riku, she might just find her light, too. Sora x Kairi, some Riku x OC.**

_**Main Characters**_

**Sora**: A boy of seventeen, he's overall very gentle and candidly humorous, but he's just as fierce when he's provoked. He's one year younger than his sister, Jade. Both are thrown out by their drunkard father, alone to fend for themselves. He bands up with the Dusties, in attempt to escape loneliness and dangers of street life. Height :5' 8.

**Kairi**: The seventeen-year-old is the daughter of the mayor of Destiny Islands, twin to Naminé. Kairi is a quiet, caring, gentle island girl that tires of her older cousin's discrimination towards the homeless. She meets Sora when he was working in a music store selling CDs. Height :5'4.

**Riku**: A boy, almost man, of eighteen, he's very dark, full of sarcasm and seemingly cruel at times. Cousin to Kairi and Naminé, he leads a gang of friends, by the name of AK, whose role is to beat up and insult all the homeless. He encounters Sora's older sister when she's working in the music store with Sora. Height: 6'3

**Jade**: Older than Sora by one year, she's the darker side of the two of them. The eighteen-year-old is quiet, giving rather sarcastically funny comments, but her ideas are worth hearing. She seems to be rather street-smart for a girl who has lived eighteen years of life in a house; and she seems to be cruel-hearted to the first impression, but few stay enough to know her to see the kind spirit hidden behind the scorn. She meets Riku when he was visiting the CD store she and Sora worked in part-time.

Appearance: Kairi-like dark brown hair, bright green eyes; slim, dark, and unusually tall. Height is 5'11. Rather sarcastic, with an edge of ice trimming the final corners of her words: proved to be very dangerous when provoked but the gentlest being that could exist when her heart is touched.

* * *

**Dedication**

**I have to admit, this is the second time this appears, I deleted it a long time ago. So I dedicate and thank very much authoress apricot.pie for resurfacing the story. PLEASE don't make me delete this again, and read it and review. CC is allowed, but if you don't have anything useful to say then don't say it.**

* * *

_**O N E **_

_**H O M E L E S S**_

* * *

"_Get out of the house_**. _NOW_**."

His finger was pointed to the oak door, two pair of frightened eyes looking at him fear and disbelief. His voice was quiet, quivering in contained raige, and he was about to blow.

"Dad…"

His grey eyes seemed to bulge out of their sockets, the stare full of rage, hate, absolute loathing. He

"_**GET **__**YOU MEASLY LITTLE **__**ASSES **__**OUT OF **__**MY **__**FUCKING**__** HOUSE **__**RIGHT **__**NOW**__**, OR I SWEAR I'LL TEAR YOU **__**BOTH**__** TO **__**FUCKING**__** PIECES**_"

As he screamed, Sora quickly and shakily grabbed his sister's wrist, the two black Jansport bags his father had prepared, and swiftly ran to the door, but too late: with a kick Sora was sent sprawling to the street outside, and Jade, too, was thrown harshly on the concrete.

"_**AND**__** STAY **__**OUT**_!"

The door slammed shut, the echo resounding in the dark midnight.

Sora groaned, rubbing his head, and following him was Jade, her eyes closed tightly. Sora's eyes widened in worry, but green eyes met blue, and all was calm in the still, cool night.

He stood, and helped Jade up, giving her a Jansport bag. He strapped it over his shoulder, and his older sister did the same. He extended his hand to the street forward.

"Shall we?"

Jade managed a soft smile, and curled her arm on his waist, and Sora's arm rested on her shoulders, embracing like they've done since they were little.

The two looked for a moment at the street, but mustered their strength and started to walk their first, hard-to-walk steps… as homeless children.

* * *

The two had been walking for an hour or two through Destiny Islands: both had been too scared to lay their bags and close their eyes for even a minute's rest. Sora was exhausted, and was hanging on to his sister for support; somehow Jade was still going strong. She noticed him droop and stagger and stopped.

"What's wrong, Sora?" Jade's green eyes were illuminated by the full moon, worried. Sora sighed, looking at her.

"I'm exhausted, sis. I can't go on-"

"Yes, you can," she tugged. "Just a few more steps…"

A voice made them jump.

"Who's there?!"

Sora and Jade looked around, and Sora protectively hugged his sister, looking around, and responding in a strong voice.

"Who are you? Show yourself!"

From the dark corner a flashlight shone, and out walked a cool looking young man with wavy blond hair and dark brown eyes. He had his eyebrow raised, the flashlight pointing at them, his teeth bared. He wore a black tank, navy green capris, a sleeveless jacket and dirty Converse.

"Let me guess," he said, softly. "You two thrown out by your dad?"

Sora and Jade looked at each other, and then in wonder at the boy who stood in front of them.

"Yeah," said Sora. "How'd you know?"

The boy's brown eyes settled on Sora's right arm. There was a long gash, rather shallow, where the blood was dripping off of his arm onto the concrete. He had never noticed it, probably hurt when he had fallen on the street, pushed by his father.

Hayner motioned, his eyes gleaming in friendliness.

"Come on, I know of a place you both can stay in, it's not to far." He frowned, looking at their faces. "You two are brother and sister, right?"

Sora and Jade nodded.

"Well, come on, that cut won't clean up itself."

With that Sora and Jade walked on, Hayner leading, hoping that this wasn't some sick trick Hayner was pulling on them.


	2. T H E    D U S T I E S

T**he Light In The Dark**

**A/N: I'd like to thank my faithful reviewers, for I've been wondering where the hell they've gone (PRIESTESSAMY13 –COUGHCOUGH-). Fortunately, flying chocobos have not eaten my lovely writers, so I'm covered for now. Please review!**

**Reviewers: Apricot.pie, E Muja SN, PriestessAmy13.**

* * *

**_T W O_**

**_T H E D U S T I E S_**

* * *

**Previously...**

"Come on, it's not that far off. You two are brother and sister, right?"

Sora and Jade nodded tiredly.

With that the three walked on, Hayner leading, Sora and Jade hoping that this wasn't some sick trick Hayner was pulling on them.

* * *

As the three were walking down the street, the dark, gray-black clouds that have been so ominously following them in the night sky unleashed their torrents, as it started to rain. The scar on Sora's arm was slowly healing, the blood washed away by the cold torrent of rain.

"This way," said Hayner, and they followed him down a dry, closed corridor and Hayner stopped in front of a ramshackle door. He knocked three times on it, and one more time for good measure.

The door opened to reveal a short, rather fat young man, his brown hair pulled up by a hair band, and light brown eyes twinkling merrily. He wore a huge oversize red shirt, a white t-shirt under that, jeans, and large sneakers.

"Hayner!"

Hayner grinned, motioning his head to Sora and Jade.

"This is Sora and Jade. They got kicked out tonight."

The young man looked apologetic. "Aww, I'm sorry. Well, you're welcome anytime, so come on in."

The three stepped in, and Sora and Jade expected something pathetic and broken-down; instead, a pleasant little fire blazed merrily ahead, there was electricity, cable, and many, many rooms. There was even a refrigerator and freezer, and even a few couches.

Jade widened her eyes. "You guys live here? This is better than our own house…"

Hayner laughed. "Oh, I forgot, this is Pence." He motioned to the young man who had welcome them before, who smiled.

"Hayner!"

A slim girl jumped out of one of the rooms and ran to them, but stopped herself when she realized Jade and Sora. She had dark brown hair and bright green eyes, wearing an orange tank top, a white tank under that, khaki Capris and orange shoes. Tilting her head, she asked a kind question, her voice quirky and animated.

"And you are…"

Hayner grinned. "Olette, this is Sora and Jade. Sora, Jade, this is Olette." Jade noticed how Hayner said Olette's name, almost lovingly. Sora grinned.

"Hey!"

Olette giggled. "You two are brother and sister, right?"

Sora nodded, smiling. "Yup. Jade's older, though. You can't really tell we're siblings…"

Pence interrupted. "Yeah you can! You two have the same eyes."

Jade raised her eyebrow. "Same eyes?"

Olette nodded. "Pence doesn't mean the colour; obviously yours is bright green and Sora's is blue. Pence just means that they have like a sad look in them…"

They all sat down. Olette, on Jade's request, had brought a small first aid kit, and while Jade closed Sora's open wound, they started to talk.

Sora nodded. "Yeah. Our mom died when I was six, and our dad kicked us out just now." He winced as peroxide disinfected his slash, but Jade finished quickly, binding a strip of clean white linen around his arm. Sora nodded at her, a grateful smile on his lips, but it fell when Jade turned to their new company, sad eyes expressing.

She sighed. "Drunk, like always. That's half the reason why Mom died: a broken heart. She loved Dad, but he was always too drunk to notice. We lived with it, and just now when he came drunk again we couldn't take it anymore."

Hayner raised his eyebrow. "But I thought you said you two got kicked out."

Sora scratched the back of his head nervously. "Well, he was drunk, and we told him off. He got pissed and threw us out."

Olette nodded. "That sucks. My mom kicked me out a year ago because she thought I was interfering with her heroin packages." She shuddered. "I swear, every time she got those boxes I'd cry myself to sleep, because I didn't know what to do about it."

Hayner sighed. "Both my parents were drunkards, and they abused me. One day I couldn't take it anymore and told them off to the police. They're in jail now. That was two years ago."

Jade interrupted. "But… don't you have any foster parents?"

Hayner laughed. "I faked the parental papers. Supposedly, I live in Traverse Town with a Mrs. Kamika. But I made her up."

Sora laughed. "You seem smart."

"I'm not smart. I'm just ready."

Jade turned to Pence. "And what's your life story, Pence?"

Pence looked at her. "Well, not much really. Dad was on crack, Mom was high on some liquid shit. We were rich because Dad was a drug dealer, but I didn't know that. I thought Dad had a real job. When I found out a year ago I told on the police, and I ran away. I week after that both my parents were in jail."

Sora widened his eyes. "I guess we all have our own crappy pasts, huh?"

Olette laughed softly. "It was them, not us. It's their fault that they didn't feel like taking care of us."

Jade sighed. "I hate this."

Pence and Sora looked at her. "Whaddaya mean?"

"That our parents ate crap and we're the ones that are suffering the consequences."

Hayner smirked. "I like your style."

Jade looked at him confused, and then all of them burst into laughter.

They kept talking for a few minutes, and then they went to bed. As Sora lay his head on the surprisingly clean pillow and said good night to his sis, he closed his eyes and dreamed of a place where pain and sorrow never existed, where love always prevailed.

Thus did Jade and Sora become part of The Dusties.


	3. R I K U

**The Light In The Dark**

**A/N: I haven't updated in so long… _so_ I want reviews. : D**

**Again, thanks to all my reviewers who… -reads off candy foil- "has filled my day with delight and enthusiasm".**

**Anyways, thanks a lot for your reviews. **

**And to that random reviewer that left five reviews… all in CAPS… uh… thanks a lot… -sweatdrop-**

* * *

**_T H R E E_**

_**R I K U**_

* * *

**Previously...**

**Jade looked at them confused, and then all of them burst into laughter.**

**They kept talking for a few minutes, and then they went to bed. As Sora lay his head on the surprisingly clean pillow and said good night to his sis, he closed his eyes and dreamed of a place where pain and sorrow never existed, where love always prevailed.**

**Thus did Jade and Sora become part of the Dusties.**

* * *

The Dusties rounded up next morning, washing up, eating and dressing. Hayner had a smile on his face, grinning at everybody.

"Alright, you two," he said, clapping his hands together, looking at Sora and Jade. "You two are going to get a job!"

Sora was rather surprised. "A job?"

Olette nodded. "Yeah. We need munny."

Jade raised her eyebrow at them. "And what about you three?"

Pence sighed. "I already work at the local mall selling pretzels. Hayner works fixing cars, and Olette works in a little department store in the Destiny Mall."

"Narki's Clothing Store," said Olette, quirkily. 'it's on the second floor, so if you feel like hanging out or something after five, just meet me and the guys there. if not, gimme a call at the store and I'll tell Hayner and Pence not to wait up."

Jade nodded. Sora chirped up. "I saw two innings for a cashier and extra at some CD shop I went the other day."

Pence brightened. "The one that tunes guitars for munny, right?"

Sora nodded. "That one exactly."

* * *

"And you two want to work here?"

Sora nodded. "Mm-hmm."

The man, about fifty and wearing a shirt, jeans, and loafers, looked at Sora eye-to-eye, his stern grey eyes, specked with blue, making Sora squirm slightly. The man smirked, but was impressed when he did the same to Jade, and Jade returned a determined, almost mysterious stare back.

The man laughed.

"Young lady, can you tune a guitar?"

Jade nodded. Sora smiled.

The man laughed. "Really? Well, then, tune it." The man gave Jade an acoustic guitar, and Jade sat down and strummed it, almost jumping at how badly tuned it was.

The man chuckled. "That's how the last youngster that tried to get a job here tuned it. I want it in Drop D."

Jade nodded. Slowly, one by one, each string was tuned to the perfect decibel, and when she was finished three minutes later, she looked into the man's grey eyes and strummed the guitar. It sounded perfect. The man laughed.

"And a girl, too! Very, very impressive." Sora chuckled.

Jade gave the guitar to the man, who turned to Sora.

"Gimme a smile, young man."

Sora grinned his trademark cheesy smile at the man, and then at Jade, who started laughing. The man joined in.

"You know what? You look like two honest youngsters, and you seem like amusingkinds. So, since I'm giving you two the job, you'll both get paid here working part-time, twelve to five, five dollars the hour. This young lady, however, if she decides to also tune guitars, gets an extra three dollars for every tuning."

Jade and Sora looked at each other and grinned widely. "When do we start?"

"Today, if you'd like. I have another young man coming soon, but I'd like some more company. And your names are…?"

"Sora. And this is my older sister, Jade. And you are..."

"Name's Blaze. Jade and Sora, welcome. Riku should be coming soon, so I'll be right back, I have to deliver a guitar to some kid who doesn't feel like walking here." Jade and Sora chuckled. "There's two registers next to each other, so Sora can grin at people over there, and Jade, you can go behind the guitar section."

"Yes, sir!"

The man laughed and left the store for a moment, and Jade and Sora high-fived each other.

"We did it!" said Sora. Jade laughed, ruffling his hair.

"Alright, silly, let's get to work."

Sora stood behind the first register, and poked it. It didn't turn on. He looked over at Jade, who was sitting on a stool behind a glass display of tuners and picks, and behind her hung all different guitars, of both electric and acoustic. Jade looked behind her a t a beautiful black Gibson guitar, shining and beautiful. Her eyes lay on the price tag hanging from the tuning pegs, and her heart skipped a beat, her eyes sad. It was so much munny...

The door opened, accompanied by a little ring, and a tall, muscular young man with long white hair and sexy sea-green eyes pompously waltzed in. He wore a tight white T-Shirt that accented his muscles, long denim jeans with a studded rocker belt, and classic black Vans. He looked weirdly at Sora, who was poking the cash register.

"What the HELL are you doing to my cash register, you FREAK?"

Sora looked up.

"And… you are?"

He laughed cruelly. With a start Jade and Sora realized this was Riku, the mayor's nephew. Jade had seen him around with his tough-looking gang, AK. She had seen them once kicking a homeless man on the street, and she was too far to interfere, but she had called the police, and they did nothing when they heard the name. When she told this to Sora, they've both hated him ever since.

Riku scoffed. "I WORK here, you scum. Now get away from the register and get your sorry ass out."

"Don't talk to me like that!"

"_Don't talk to me like that!_" mocked Riku in a girly high-pitched voice, making Sora stern and angry. "What're you gonna do, bash me on the head with a guitar? No, wait, you're probably too POOR to afford one-"

Sora was about to punch Riku when his sister suddenly came out of nowhere and grabbed Riku's shirt, hissing into his face.

"Listen," she snarled, "don't _talk_ to my brother like that. Besides, we work here. Either you deal with it or quit."

Riku pushed her off, disgusted. "Don't touch me, you slut."

"Don't provoke me."

"I can send you to jail," he smirked.

Jade snarled even more, making Riku surprised and a bit afraid.

"_Try me_."

Jade threw him back and angrily made her way to Sora, muttering to him.

"You know, I hate him already even more that I have."

"Is he on your death list?" smirked Sora. Jade sighed heatedly.

"No, unfortunately not. He will be, though, if he keeps this shit up."


	4. O D I O

**The Light In The Dark**

**A/N: I appreciate all your reviews, especially Hollybaby390's. I know I overdid it a bit in the cussing, but keep in mind that these are deranged parents with kids that don't know half the story behind their behaviour. However, I'll lessen the profanities, but I'm just explaining how use of language shows how easily people flare up against the smallest things, and also portrays anger and hate against someone in the story.**

**But I'll try to lessen the cussing.**

**And I'm BACK! I'm super sorry I haven't updated in a WHILE… like, a WHILE… but I had to do stuff… And I missed my reviewers. Because I love them all.**

**I have a feeling this chapter will let many, many people down. –cry-**

**Also, my new account is x Cerulean Serenity x… although my cousin is using it now…**

* * *

**Previously…**

**Jade threw him back and angrily made her way to Sora, muttering to him.**

"**You know, I hate him already even more that I have."**

"**Is he on your death list?" smirked Sora. Jade sighed heatedly.**

"**No, unfortunately not. He will be, though, if he keeps this up."**

* * *

_**F O U R**_

_**O D I O**_

* * *

Before Sora could answer, Blaze came in, smiling.

"Ah. See you met Riku?"

Sora nodded. _Yeah, we met alright_, he said mentally.

Blaze nodded. He rubbed the back of his neck, sighing.

"If you kiddies need anything, I'll be in the office. You three behave, alright? No blood on the walls."

"Yessir!"

He nodded and walked out into another wing of the store. As soon as he left Riku sighed, not a bit angry. Sora turned to him, slightly annoyed.

"What?"

Angry seagreen on questioning blue.

"_Nothing_," was the curt reply. "Absolutely _nothing_."

"Okay," said Sora cheerfully, and Jade bit her lip, trying not to smile.

Riku's eyes fixed themselves on Jade. "What're YOU laughing at, huh?"

Jade stiffened, making direct eye contact with Riku, eyes cold and angry.

"_Nothing_," she said curtly, mocking his previous answer to Sora. "Absolutely _nothing_."

* * *

"So," said Olette cheerfully, walking to the huge C-shaped black sofa where everyone was sitting, in the back room of Narki's Clothing Store, and taking a seat between Hayner and Pence, "how was your first day at work today?"

Sora and Jade moaned at the same time, slumping. The other three laughed, while the two grinned sheepishly. Hayner smiled.

"Riku?"

Jade slapped her hand on her face, her hair falling over it. "My God… He is the most _arrogant_, _immature_, and _rudest_ young man I have ever _met_…"

Sora nodded. "Yeah… He's a bit tough…"

"A _bit_? Sora, you were poking around the cash register and he went down on you like if you've slapped him across the face."

Sora sighed. Pence smiled.

"Riku's always been like that… thinks that just because he's the mayor's nephew, he can do whatever the hell he wants."

"He can," said Olette quietly. Everyone nodded in silent agreement.

Pence stepped him. "His daughter's different, though…"

Jade shot up. "Riku has a daughter?!"

Everyone laughed. Pence grinned.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he had one, but no, I was talking 'bout the mayor's daughter. Kairi?"

Hayner smiled. "Yeah, she's really nice, and respectful… her twin sister Namine is, too…"

Sora smiled. He saw her, the other day, walking down the street. She was pretty, her eyes twinkling as she smiled. He liked to see people smile.

Hayner shook Sora.

"Hello! Stop day dreaming, Sora!"

"Oh, right," he answered sheepishly, as everyone laughed. Olette smiled at Jade.

" I heard you and Riku are best buddies now."

"Oh, _right_," she replied sarcastically, sending everyone into peals of laughter. "Yeah, we just _love_ each other's company."

Hayner grinned. "I saw you. He was staring at you the whole time."

Jade widened her eyes, as if someone had pushed a tarantula under her nose to examine. They laughed again.

"Looks like someone's gotten a hang to you," Sora sang teasingly. Jade pushed his shoulder away.

"Shut up, Sora," she muttered, as the rest laughed their heads off.

* * *

"Alrighty, then," said Blaze, clapping his hands together, after Sora showed Blaze that he too could tune a guitar and replace strings and such, "Sora and Jade are switching places. Sora behind the case, Jade to the register."

Jade and Riku administered horror, given at the same time.

"**_WHAT?!_**"

Blaze smirked. "You two need to ease up. Out you go, then."

Jade pouted; Riku sulked, shuffling back behind the register. It annoyed him that she was sitting down right next to him. She tapped one of the keys to turn it on.

Riku snarled. Jade snarled back. He shook his head.

"I don't like it when _you_ people touch the cash register," he muttered. Jade took offence.

"I don't like it when I'm right next to _you_."

"At least I have money."

"At least I'm not some rude stuck-up rich kid like you."

He snarled. "Don't offend me!"

"Don't offend me, either! What makes you so different from me, now? We both work here, same salary, same store, same damn buttons to push!"

"I'm the mayor's nephew, that's what's different!"

"Oh, so just because you have a blood bond with Mayor Takusimii, now the whole world needs to revolve around you?"

"Yeah, it does!"

"Well, I'm not going to revolve around you, because I don't give a damn about who you are!!"

He snarled dangerously again. "I could call the police on you."

"_Try me_," she snarled dangerously back, the way she did yesterday. "Go on! I'm not afraid of you, I have no reason to! Call the police on me! That just shows how afraid you are to stick around me, how much backbone you _really_ have! Wait till your uncle hears how his nephew called the police just because he was afraid of some girl!"

Riku didn't pick up the phone.


	5. T H E G I R L H E L O V E S

**The Light In The Dark**

**A/N: Thankies for all your reviews! Well, it was actually just one, but I got adds : D**

**I somehow feel as if the previous chapter kinda took out the awesomeness in the story… if you feel the same way, please don't hesitate to point it out. I'm dying.**

* * *

**Previously…**

**He snarled dangerously again. "I could call the police on you."**

"_**Try me**_**," she snarled dangerously back, the way she did yesterday. "Go on! I'm not afraid of you, I have no reason to! Call the police on me! That just shows how afraid you are to stick around me, how much backbone you **_**really**_** have! Wait till your uncle hears how his nephew called the police because he was scared to stick around a girl!**

**Riku didn't pick up the phone. **

* * *

_**F I V E**_

_**T H E G I R L H E L O V E S**_

* * *

Sora lay wide awake, his blue eyes staring at the Atreyu poster on the ceiling, but his mind wasn't on their guitar solos.

He had just bet the most beautiful girl in the world earlier that day. It was two in the morning and all he could think about was her red hair, her blue-violet eyes, her smile. He closes his eyes to replay that magical moment.

* * *

Jade smirked triumphantly when she saw the Riku didn't dare come close to the phone, much less touch it. However, she did earn a death glare that made her squirm a bit uncomfortably afterwards.

The door opened, with the little tinkle that store doors usually come with. Sora's eyes flicked to the door, and his heart skipped a beat.

Kairi Takusimii gracefully strode in, slim and absolutely stunning in a white beach dress; it suited her perfectly. Sora quietly let out a sigh of adoration.

She turned to Sora, and her lips softly drew into a gentle smile, and Sora grinned back, his adorable grin. She giggled. Sora straightened up.

"Can I help you, miss?" he said, in a manly important-sounding tone, almost comical. Jade bit her lip, trying not to laugh.

Kairi giggled again. "I'm looking for Blaze Maseru?"

Sora nodded. "He's in the back, but I'll get him for you, if you'd like."

She nodded. "Please do." She smiled, and Sora deftly jumped over the display and went in the back.

"Blaze! You got a _really_ pretty customer here!"

Kairi laughed, and laughed even more when she saw the girl behind the register do a face-to-palm movement, laughing.

Sora grinned at Kairi. "He'll be right out, miss."

Kairi smiled. "Thanks for the really pretty comment," she said, in a laughing voice. Sora smiled, fixing his black shirt and jeans after he jumped again over the display, back to his spot.

"No problem. Besides, it's the truth."

Kairi blushed.

Blaze came out. "Ah, Miss Kairi. I have your order right outside."

Kairi nodded. She gave a final smile to Sora, and gracefully walked out the door, followed by Blaze, in the same beautiful way she came in.

The moment she left Jade burst into laughter. Sora blushed.

"No wonder you put on your lucky underwear today, Sora," she said teasingly.

"SHUT UP!"

* * *

Sora chuckled to himself.

He hoped he would see Kairi again.

* * *

Riku sighed, as he saw Sora and Jade leave the store. It was five, and it was his time to close up.

He didn't know what was going on with him… The moment she strode in the store, the moment he saw her, she just seemed… different.

And he was right. She didn't exactly play by his rules. Or anyone else's, for that matter, he added with a chuckle.

He didn't know this new feeling that came over him, the moment she set those angry eyes at him a few days ago… It twisted and turned in him, like a writhing poisonous snake that was trying to escape from his chest. He actually felt bad for what he did, what he said.

He realized with a start what that feeling was.

It was remorse.

For the first time, in a long time, he felt like it was time for him to say sorry. Even for once. He knew she deserved it, and he was nervous, because he didn't know if she'd accept his apology…

He couldn't take it anymore. He looked at the clock. Five-thirty. They were still open. Riku looked through a stack of info papers in the back, and when he found her application, called a shop.

"Gisele's? Yeah? Okay. I'd like to place an order, for Jade Kumisaki…"

* * *

**A little cliff-hanger. Next chapter coming up… And, of course, the title for this chapter has double meanings for Riku and Sora. Thanks for reading! Please review!**


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